Despite the sport's immense popularity, the football card market tends to be weaker than its basketball card or baseball card equivalents. However, that doesn't mean there isn't incredible value at the high end. The best way to look at the football card market is as a top-heavy one. The biggest cards are phenomenally expensive, while there is a softer middle. The reason for that is simple. Football collecting centers around the quarterbacks and, to a far lesser extent, the other critical offensive glory positions. Meanwhile, players from most positions have less value. Look, no matter how good you are, if you are a nose tackle, your cards aren't going to be crushing the markets. It is what it is.
But the upside is that top-notch quarterback cards can be among the most expensive in the entire hobby. So, let's take a look at those record-holding football cards that will absolutely and totally shatter your kids' college fund.
1. 2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Rookie Ticket Tom Brady Autograph #144
A BGS NM-MT+ 8.5/9 sold for $2,252,854
Let's just ignore last season, shall we? It is becoming increasingly hard to argue that anyone but Tom Brady is the best quarterback ever. Tom was a rookie in 2000 when rookie autos were starting to become a thing. So, a Tom Brady rookie auto in the iconic rookie ticket format has an understandable cache. PSA only has 186 2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Rookie Ticket Tom Brady Autograph #144 on its population logs, so each value is assured.
2. Patrick Mahomes 2017 Panini National Treasures Black #161 Rookie Patch Autographs
A BGS MT 9/10 sold for $840,000
Patrick Mahomes is only 27, but he already has two Super Bowl rings and the same number of MVP awards. So if there is anyone who can threaten Brady's imposingly high throne, it is the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback. Furthermore, Mahomes came into the league in the era of the rookie patch auto (RPA), which wasn't a thing yet when Brady showed up. Therefore, it's no surprise the Patrick Mahomes 2017 Panini National Treasures Black #161 Rookie Patch Autographs is his top card.
3. 1971 Topps Terry Bradshaw Rookie Card
A PSA 10 sold for $430,500
Terry Bradshaw was a tremendous quarterback, leading the Steelers to four Super Bowl titles and nabbing the 1978 MVP award. And, of course, he has been on our TVs every football Sunday for a gazillion years. Yes, I counted. These 1971 Topps Terry Bradshaw Rookie Cards are particularly expensive not only because of his celebrity status but also because there are very few PSA 10s out there. And honestly, I think we all marvel at the fact that Bradshaw used to have so much hair.
4. 1935 National Chicle #34 Bronko Nagurski
A PSA 9 sold for $350,000
Bronko Nagurski was one of the early legends of football. A Canadian two-way player, built like a freaking brick house, Nagurski won three NFL championships. Back then, football was a form of warfare, and Bronko was as tough as they came. Unfortunately, football cards from that era are scarce, so this gem of the legend is worth a fortune. The price the 1935 National Chicle #34 Bronko Nagurski sold for is far less than the PSA 9 would be worth today since the last sale was made in 2011.
5. 1958 Topps Jim Brown #62 Rookie Card
A PSA 9 sold for $336,000
Folks lucky enough to have seen Jim Brown in his prime insist he was the best running back ever to play the game. Jim still makes the All-Time NFL teams, most recently the 100th anniversary one in 2019. And as an 8 times NFL yards rushed leader, it is easy to see why. Indeed, in 2002, the three-time MVP was named the most outstanding professional football player by Sporting News. His 1958 Topps #62 Jim Brown rookie card is iconic and the closest thing football has to the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle. The image of the Hall-of-Famer off and running symbolizes Brown's greatness.
6. 1957 Topps #119 Bart Starr Rookie Card
A PSA 9 sold for $288,000
Bart no longer features in the GOAT quarterback conversation. But a lot of that is because so much time has passed. Although his peak came well before the Super Bowl era, Bart Starr led the Green Bay Packers to two after winning an incredible five titles previously. He guided what was perhaps the most outstanding football team ever with astonishing precision, leading the league in completion percentage four times. The 1957 Topps #119 Bart Starr Rookie Card has a glorious old-timey feel and is the only recognized rookie card for this legend.
7. 1965 Topps #122 Joe Namath Rookie Card
A PSA 9 sold for $264,000
One of the most popular players ever, "Broadway Joe," is so beloved by his generation that the US Federal Government uses him to promote Medicare. And if you don't want to get your health insurance from the man who led the New York Jets to (their only) Super Bowl, you don't deserve healthcare. Joe Namath was larger than life on and off the field, pioneering drip before the word was invented. The beautiful 1965 Topps #122 Joe Namath rookie card captures the glamor and glitz of this unforgettable football era and is, therefore, remarkably valuable.
8. 2005 SP Authentic 1/1 #252 Aaron Rodgers NFL Shield Patch
The RPA was a new experiment in 2005, and the first massive one belonged to Packers phenom Aaron Rodgers. Though currently in the twilight of his career, Rodgers was the best quarterback of his generation (assuming you put the older Brady in the previous one). In addition, Rodgers has an outstanding 4 MVP awards, though he only has one Super Bowl ring. So, although the card is a bit of history as the first massive NFL shield rookie, all these elements guarantee that the 2005 SP Authentic 1/1 #252 Aaron Rodgers NFL Shield Patch will remain one of the most outstanding football cards in the long term.
9. 1976 Topps #148 Walter Payton Rookie Card
A PSA 10 went for 114,098$
Jim Brown's main rival for the greatest running back to play the game. Walter Payton was also a pioneer, inventing the stiff arm move, that beloved technique where you push the defender away as you carry the ball. The Hall-of-Famer they called "Sweetness" once held the records for career rushing yards, touchdowns, all-purpose yards, most receptions by a non-receiver, and a host of other records. And look, there is no way around it. The 1976 Topps #148 Walter Payton Rookie Card shows that he was a very handsome man.
10. 1957 Topps Johnny Unitas #138
A PSA 9 went for $167,300
John Unitas managed to lead the Baltimore Colts to a memorable Super Bowl victory in 1970 over the Dallas Cowboys. But his true glory days were in the pre-big game era, and he took three NFL eras back in those days of yore. I am a great fan of Unitas cards because the man looks like the most grizzled US Marine on the shores of Iwo Jima. However, the 1957 Topps Johnny Unitas #138 is softer since it shows the quarterback smiling. There are only 8 PSA 9s on this card.
11. 1933 Sport Kings Jim Thorpe #6
A PSA 9 sold for $138,000
The Sports Kings series is legendary in the hobby and has even been reprised in recent years. And the 1933 Sport Kings Jim Thorpe #6 is the cream of the crop. Jim was the most complete athlete of his generation. The Native American icon was a football All-Pro. He played semi-professional baseball. Oh, and he also won two gold medals in the 1912 Olympics, for the classic pentathlon and the decathlon, since you asked. Thorpe was such a big deal that Burt Lancaster played him in the 1951 film All-American.
12. 1894 Mayo Anonymous (John Dunlop, Harvard)
A PSA 3 is valued at around $110,000
The 1894 Mayo are likely the first football cards ever made, and therefore an integral part of hobby history. It features the biggest names in college football at the time. For example, this card depicts John Dunlop, the legendary Harvard half-back who later coached Boston College. However, the 1894 Mayo Anonymous (John Dunlop) card contains neither his name nor that of Harvard, adding to its mystery.
13. 1981 Topps Joe Montana Rookie Card #216
A PSA 10 sold for $87,000
Back in the olden days, before you crazy youngsters invented Tom Brady, we had Joe Montana. The "Comeback Kid" was the guy who never said die and won games against all odds. Joe won three Super Bowl titles and was the MVP in four of them. The 1981 Topps Joe Montana Rookie Card #216 is an iconic beauty and therefore gets excellent prices even though it isn't particularly rare or vintage.
14. 1933 Sport Kings #4 Red Grange Rookie Card
A PSA 9 sold for $81,000
The three-time All-American and 2 time NFL champion is considered the finest football player of the pre-war era. But also, has there ever been a more dramatic football name than Red Grange? And the 1933 Sport Kings #4 Red Grange Rookie Card shows that the man could even pull off those old-timey helmets. That ain't easy.
15. 1998 Playoff Contenders Ticket Peyton Manning Auto #87
A PSA 10 sold for $71,988
Peyton Manning managed to be utterly dominant in the Brady era, with five MVPs and three Super Bowls. He is 3rd all-time in passing yards and passing touchdowns. When we get to the late 1990s, the old-school base rookie cards fall out of favor. Now collectors go after scarce rookies with iconic designs, like the 1998 Playoff Contenders Ticket Peyton Manning Auto #87. This card played an essential role in changing the tastes of football collectors.
16. 1966 Philadelphia Gil Sayers #38
A PSA 9 sold for $58,800
At his peak, Sayers could do anything he pleased on the gridiron. The "Kansas Comet" was a runner, receiver, and superb kick returner. Sadly, an injury in 1970 stopped him from being one of the greatest players ever. But the mystique surrounding his promise keeps the card price up, and the 1966 Philadelphia Gil Sayers #38 showcases all that potential.
17. 1966 Philadelphia Dick Butkus #31
A PSA 9 sold for $37,807
We are a classy publication, so that we won't make any jokes about the name. However, Dick Butkus was the most effective linebacker of his era and one of the best ever. And the only defensive player (not counting two-way guys from the olden times) in the list as a result. The 1966 Philadelphia Dick Butkus #31 shows you why. You would not want to get on the wrong side of Butkus.
18. 1972 Topps Roger Staubach Rookie Card #200
A PSA 10 sold for $30,000
You have definitely heard people call the Dallas Cowboys "America's Team". You may have even wondered why. The answer is Roger Staubach, the Heisman Trophy winner who was known to the fans as "Captain America." As a pro quarterback, he led the Cowboys to two Super Bowls. And as for the 1972 Topps Roger Staubach Rookie Card #200 itself, look at his wise gaze into the distance. This should be on the back cover of a novel.
19. 1999 Donruss Elite Passing the Torch Autographs #4A Walter Payton/Barry Sanders
A PSA 10 sold for $28,000
There aren't many players who can claim to be rightful heirs to the legendary Walter Payton. However, Barry Sanders is the exception to that rule. The 10-time pro-bowler shares this autographed card with Payton. Honestly, the 1999 Donruss Elite Passing the Torch Autographs #4A Walter Payton/Barry Sanders card is probably the coolest auto in football card history.
20. 1951 Bowman Tom Landry #20
A PSA 10 sold for $19,642
As a special teams guy, Landry had a fine career for the NY Giants in the 1950s. But needless to say, Tom is better known as a coach. During his years with the Cowboys, he invented the "flex defense" system that would dominate pro football. The 1951 Bowman Tom Landry #20 is the paradigmatic vintage football card. Nothing encapsulates the spirit of old-timey football more.
Top 20 Most Valuable Football Cards Of All Times
The football card market is more robust than people think. And it isn't just the recent marquee names that are worth big bucks. Vintage cards tend to have a lower population count than their baseball equivalents and can be worth a fortune.
